This story comes from the time when Ahmad Shah Abdali, one of the most powerful military commanders in Asia, was left astonished by the bravery of the Sikhs. Deeply curious, he turned to his Subedar with a series of questions about this remarkable community.
The great conqueror Ahmad Shah Abdali asked the Subedar of Lahore: “What is the nature of the Sikhs — their patience, their courage, their spirit?” He continued: “I once broke the Marathas, and they never dared to turn back and face me. Yet every time I pass through the region before Attock — carrying Hindu women and valuables — Charat Singh, Karam Singh, Hari Singh Bhangi, Baz Singh, Baghel Singh — one or another surrounds me and robs me. Who are these people?”
The Lord of the Sikhs
The Subedar replied, “They are Sikhs.”
Abdali asked, “Where do they live?”
“In the forests,” the Subedar answered.
Abdali then asked, “Who is their leader?”
The Subedar replied with a verse: ‘ਸ਼ਹਿਨਸ਼ਾਹ ਖੁਦ ਹੀ ਕਉ ਭਾਖਤ ਕਾਮ ਨਾ ਘਾਟੂ ਕੀਏ ਰਾਖਾ’ — meaning every Sikh considers himself a sovereign and fulfills his duty without fail.
Abdali asked, “Who is their God?”
The Subedar answered: ‘Murshad inka wali bhaio hai, inko aabe hayat deo hai’ — their spiritual master is their guardian, and through Amrit, their Guru has blessed them with the water of eternal life.
Abdali then asked, “Who provides them with food?”
The Subedar replied: “I cannot tell you who gives them food, but I can tell you how they eat. They live in the jungles. A price hangs over their heads. The enemy surrounds them on all sides. Yet at night, they prepare langar — a communal meal. The nagara (drum) sounds, and a Sikh calls out loudly:
‘ਭੂਖਾ ਦੇਤ ਅਵਾਜੈ ਕੋਈ ਆਵੋ ਦੇਗ਼ ਤਿਆਰ ਗੁਰ ਹੋਈ’
Even if our enemy is listening to this announcement, our langar is ready — he is welcome to come and eat.”
Abdali laughed loudly and asked, “What if the enemy actually comes?”
The Subedar replied, “Anyone may come. Once a person sits in the langar, the Sikhs will never attack him — not even after he has finished eating and gets up to leave.”
Abdali asked, “And if the enemy eats everything, leaving nothing for the Sikhs themselves?”
The Subedar answered with another verse: ‘ਬਚੇ ਤੋ ਦਾਨਾ ਆਪ ਖਲੇ ਹੈਂ, ਨਹੀਂ ਤੋ ਲੰਗਰ ਮਸਤ ਬਚੇ ਹੈਂ’ — if food remains, they eat; if nothing is left, they live in patience and contentment. They say the langar has become ‘Mastana’ (joyfully consumed), and even then, not a drop of sweat of worry appears on their foreheads.
Original content by Team Being Sardar | beingsardar.com |